KARACHI: The import of motor cars declined by 45 percent during first ten months of current fiscal year owing to restriction imposed of duty and tax payment through foreign currency account and verification of remittances through banks.
According to media, the import of cars in completely built unit (CBU) was at $213.37 million during July – April 2018/2019 as compared with $388.835 million in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.
The ministry of commerce through SRO 52(I)/2019 dated January 15, 2019 imposed the restriction of payment of duty and taxes through foreign remittances.
The SRO stated: “All vehicles in new/used condition to be imported under transfer of residence, personal baggage or under gift scheme, the duty and taxes shall be paid out of foreign exchange arranged by Pakistan Nationals themselves or local recipient supported by bank encashment certificate showing conversion of foreign remittance to local currency, as under,
- the remittance for payment of duties and taxes shall originate from the account of Pakistani national sending the vehicle from abroad; and
- the remittance shall either be received in the account of Pakistani national sending the vehicle from abroad or, in case, his account is non-existent or inoperative, in the account of his family.”
The customs sources said that the besides restrictions of the ministry of commerce the import of cars was also declined due to restriction on non-filers of income tax in registration with provincial registration authorities.
Through Finance Act, 2018 the government imposed ban on non-filers for registering both imported and locally assembled cars. The government, however, lifted the ban on non-filers through Finance Supplementary (Second Amendment) Act, 2019 only for locally assembled cars.
